The bloodless coup: How Burnham came out top
6/25/202623 min
It could have been a messy transition, but the ease with which Andy Burnham has returned to Westminster appears to be the product of many months of careful planning.
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy delve into the details of how Burnham’s expected coronation has been managed – and why Louise Haigh has emerged as a key architect behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, as Donald Trump breaks his silence on Keir Starmer’s likely replacement, his verdict is rather blunt.
The duo dissect the U.S. President’s first public comments on Burnham, who he labelled as ‘extremely liberal’. What does this mean for the relationship between Washington and London?
Plus: Rachel Reeves falls in behind Burnham — but can she, and will she, survive as chancellor?
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsEd Conway0:00
[upbeat music] How does a banana trigger a CIA-backed coup? Do AirPods herald the arrival of a new global order? What do LED lights say about the future of humanity? [upbeat music] I'm Ed Conway, and in each episode of my new podcast, Stuff Matters, I take an object, crack it open, and reveal the world-shaping forces hidden inside. This is economics told through the things we think we understand. Search Stuff Matters on your podcast app to listen and follow.
Anne McElvoy· Host0:29
[upbeat music] Hello, good morning and welcome. It's Thursday, June the 25th. Donald Trump has given his first verdict on Andy Burnham. The US president said that he had heard Burnham was extremely liberal, which sounded wary, but not yet outright hostile. My name is Anne McElvoy from Politico.
Sam Coates· Host0:53
And I'm Sam Coates of Sky News. Wary but not outright hostile is the vibe on this podcast. But for a want of touch of something nice, many, many happy returns, Anne. It is Anne McElvoy's birthday.
Anne McElvoy· Host1:05
Done. You found it. [laughs] Moving on.
Sam Coates· Host1:08
Donald Trump also described Andy Burnham as the mayor of a town. The whole tone of the way that, uh, uh, Donald Trump talked about Andy Burnham and Britain in general was quite interesting. So just, just let's listen to the whole thing. It's only 30 seconds.
Donald Trump· Soundbite1:21
I don't know anything. I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town. I hear he's extremely liberal. Extremely.